The judge said Goldman had lured the victim, Alexander Kudryavstev, to his Hampton flat on July 10, 2002. Goldman shot Mr Kudryavstev in the abdomen as he greeted him at the front door.

Mr Kudryavstev fled from the flat and collapsed on the nature strip outside. He turned his head as he was shot again from close range, the bullet entering his forehead and exiting on the right side of his face under the eye.

The court was told Mr Kudryavstev, who had turned police informer, was wearing a concealed tape recorder at the time of the shooting.

"Your anger and desire to kill him (Mr Kudryavstev) is evident on listening to the tape recording," said the judge.

Goldman had carried out a "cold-blooded, premeditated attempt" to execute an informer.

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Goldman and his victim were members of a four-strong gang who carried out more than 140 burglaries and thefts on factories, shops and homes in Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs.

Mr Kudryavstev, a former Soviet police officer, told the court he decided to work for the police when Goldman told him he wanted to carry out a "higher level" of crime using guns.

Goldman said he had been ordered to kill him by gangster Nicholai Radev, himself a victim of the gangland killings.